Sewer blockage ruins residents’ livelihood
Mike Castle, a distraught resident, told Northsider that the problem dated two weeks back.
A sewer line blockage has left a number of Harveston AH property owners disgruntled after raw sewage started overflowing into their homes last week.
The health-risk-fearing residents were left with an unimaginable smell and citing problems as the sewage gush contaminated river water and dam, apparently killing at a property on Penchartz Road. The dam received water from the river.
Mike Castle, a distraught resident, told Northsider that the problem dated two weeks back. “Two weeks ago we had a sewerage problem that was reported to council, they did come out and they cleared the blockage but they said there was a possibility that the blockage is caused by roots and it may reoccur in future,” he explained.
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While the residents anticipated a few months, the sewerage line blocked again last week. “Two days after (a week later) the sewerage was blocked again and we had to call Johannesburg Water – that promised that they will resolve the matter as they require a machine that will remove the roots blocking the sewer line,” said Mike, who claimed that the ecology of the greenbelt was affected including fish in dam due to the contamination.
Last week, Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) Ward 97 councillor Leah Knott provided insight on the problem. “Joburg Water has been out there multiple times this week – the latest was Friday (15 June). There were four major blockages – the first was near the milk factory and was mostly fat blocking the pipes. The other blockages ran from Penchartz Road through Eagle Canyon – lots of rags and foreign objects were found in the system. They had to use a high-pressure jet for one line which took time,” she explained.
According to Leah, all blockages were resolved on Friday (15 June) and on Monday (18 June) JW workers would come back with the high-pressure jet to ensure that blockages are thoroughly cleared.
Mike confirmed that the blockage was indeed cleared on Friday (15 June) and so far this week they have not experienced any sewer problems.
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